My Little…Lily…Out on the Razz

In 2008 Clucas, as part of Mount Pleasant Media Workshop, was invited to work with Southampton City Art Gallery to reimagine selected art works in their collection. The piece she chose was The Torn Gown by Henry Tonks (1890–1900). It was meant to represent a loss of innocence. The idea sparked off thoughts of the loss of childhood innocence and the pressure on children by media and peers to become more sexualised, like mini adults.

Initially, in trying to find an appropriate way to express the ideas, Clucas created a teen rag doll from her childhood sewing book. She then created a ‘g-string’ and bra from her own underwear, alongside various scavenged dolls’ clothes to clothe the doll. She then posed and photographed the doll in various, sometimes sexual, poses. The three images Clucas selected formed the triptych My Little…Lily…Out on the Razz.

This piece was shown in one of the upstairs galleries as part of a joint exhibition. It was later shown again as part of Women’s Week in 2015, also at Southampton Art Gallery.